N.S. government warns of 'unscrupulous people' providing misinformation amid COVID-19

As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia rose to 147 on Tuesday, the province's top doctor warned people to be skeptical about health advice being offered online by non-official sources.

Health officials said 20 new patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. Among the new cases identified is one person over 80. Four people are in hospital, and 10 are listed as recovered.

Strang warned Nova Scotians about where they're getting their health information from.

"There are unscrupulous people out there providing misinformation around around whether its products or procedures that actually can, for instance, boost your immune system or cure you from COVID-19," he said.

"This information is wrong and it is dangerous."

Strang also mentioned phone and email scams where people are offering to sell gloves and face masks. He said there is no way to verify the equipment is safe and effective. 

"Don't be taken in by these people who are preying on your concerns and your fears," Strang said.

Sources of new cases

The province said most of the new cases announced Tuesday were connected to travel or a known case. The province said it has done 5,763 negative tests.

"We have a handful of other cases that are still under investigation to determine where they may have been exposed," Strang said.

On Monday, the province announced public health officials could not find a link to travel or other known cases for one individual. That led officials to declare the first known case of community transmission in Nova Scotia.

The province said it has not identified any other cases of community transmission as of Tuesday afternoon.

COVID-19 map coming

Strang said the province is going to start providing more information on where COVID-19 cases are popping up.

He said work is underway to develop an online map that would show show the number of cases in Nova Scotia's four health zones.

Strang said he didn't want to post the map until there were at least five cases in each zone.

"That's a standard kind of epidemiological principle that you don't talk about less than five cases for concerns about protecting privacy," Strang said.

4 health authority staff have tested positive for COVID-19

COVID-19 has been confirmed in three seniors facilities: R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home in Antigonish, N.S., Lewis Hall, a private retirement-living community in Dartmouth, N.S., and the Magnolia residential care home in Enfield, N.S.

"Every day, we wake up waiting to hear how many new cases of COVID-19 will be announced today. Some days, it's five or seven and some days it's 20, like today," Premier Stephen McNeil said.

"And it's hard, even harder when it hits our long-term health care homes. These are our most vulnerable. As Dr. Strang has mentioned, we've wrapped our arms around Magnolia in Enfield."

Strang spoke about the four Nova Scotia Health Authority staff who have tested positive for COVID-19. He said three of those cases "are actually people that we are already aware of."

"The fourth case is a new case from within the last 24 hours, but it's a person that does not provide direct clinical care," Strang said.

On Monday, the province announced schools and licensed child-care centres would remain closed until at least May 1.

Commercial landlords encouraged to take advantage of programs

McNeil encouraged landlords to take advantage of the province's rent-deferral program when he was asked about a mall in the Halifax area that wouldn't be doing it because not all of its tenants qualify for it.

"I think it's imperative that the commercial landlords take advantage of this program we're offering and provide it to its own tenants," McNeil said.

The program is for small business operators who were forced to close under the public health order. It involves landlords signing a rent-deferral agreement and the government guaranteeing up to $5,000 a month for three months if that business goes under.

"There is no program that the national government or the provincial government across this country are going to make that are going to be for everybody," McNeil said.

"That's why you see different programs being offered in different provinces and a myriad of programs that are being offered to different sectors."

McNeil said he's encouraging landlords to look at the "individual circumstances of the business."

He said banks are receptive to working with commercial landlords when it comes to deferrals on their loans.

'The simple message is stay at home'

Strang reiterated the importance of practising physical distancing.

"This is not a time to be getting together just because you want to," he said. 

"You get together with five or less people if it's necessary to do so. If you have to go shopping, have one person go shopping. The simple message is stay at home."

Children in shared custody should stay in one place

When it comes to families who are in a shared-custody arrangement, Strang said they should check with their lawyers. But from a public health perspective, it's best if the children stay in one place.

"Every time the child is moving back and forth, we're increasing the chance of bringing the virus between two homes," Strang said.

"I know this may be difficult for families and hard to hear, but if at all possible ... it makes sense that the child remains in one home isolated and kept separate in that one home rather than going back and forth." 

McNeil said the provincial state of emergency would be extended beyond April 5. By law, a state of emergency is limited to 14 days from the date of declaration unless it is extended or terminated early.

'Our undivided, undying gratitude'

McNeil ended the press conference by thanking front-line workers "who are out there every day trying to help others while putting themselves at risk."

Specifically, McNeil mentioned doctors, nurses, hospital staff, social workers, transition house staff, home-care workers and "all those trying to assist people in need."

"You have our undivided, undying gratitude," he said. "And on behalf of Nova Scotians, I want to say thank you for the work that you've been doing on behalf of all of us."

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